Rusty spark plug

bigtimecharlie

My Renault gets water up around the engine and it typically ends up in the spark plug wells. Took it to an indy for a service and he can't get plug 1 out, only one complete side for the spark plug socket to engage with.

It's a cylinder head off job to get the spark plug out, he says.

Any other solutions out there?

CJhaughey

Pour a few capfuls of coke around the spark plug and leave over night.
Works very well on Fords with the extra long threaded plug that have seized in place.

cnocbui

First you might need to get a wall-drive spark plug socket if your indie doesn't have one. I know this sounds counter-intuitive but you should first try to tighten the plug slightly before trying to loosen it.

The coke thing is interesting. I would have thought it would make things worse. The only bit of that that makes sense is that coke contains a lot of phosphoric acid which is basically rust converter, but rust converter doesn't do anything about loosening the mechanical roughening and grip caused by corrosion.

I got a seized plug out once by warming the engine - not hot - and flooding the well with a penetrating oil - NOT WD40 or other de-watering fluid. I have found GT85 to be good. I then left it for a day. Then I tried tightening the plug and then backing it off and was successful in getting a slight movement which I then worked back and forth in loosening, tightening sequence and eventually got it out.

But, with half the plug faces stuffed, I don't fancy your chances.

biko

Not DIY effort, moved to main forum.

savagethegoat

how long ago did that plug go in if it is that badly corroded?

bigtimecharlie

savagethegoat wrote: »

how long ago did that plug go in if it is that badly corroded?

New set of plugs in April 2014. I wasn't at the car much in 2015 (no free time due to a job change).

Was out looking at the car this morning and the well for plug 1 was full of water after the rain/sleet/snow of Friday night. Dried it out by pushing cloths down to soak the water.

Looks like a head off job alright, will have to bite the bullet soon.

shietpilot

I wonder if you could get the spark plug out with one of those universal sockets?

Like this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Diy-Beetrie-Universal-Socket-Adapter-Multi-function/dp/B01B1P7ZDC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1456671938&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=universal+socket&psc=1

CJhaughey

Is the problem that the head is partially rusted away or that its seized in place by rust?
Irwin sell bolt grip extractor sockets that will remove the plug itself as long as its not corroded in place, I would still use the coke to make sure the thread is free and not seized in place, the break off the insulator and use the extractor on the spark plug hex.

bigtimecharlie

CJhaughey wrote: »

Is the problem that the head is partially rusted away or that its seized in place by rust?
Irwin sell bolt grip extractor sockets that will remove the plug itself as long as its not corroded in place, I would still use the coke to make sure the thread is free and not seized in place, the break off the insulator and use the extractor on the spark plug hex.

Can't say if the threads are rusted/seized but there is only one of the 6 faces for the socket to grip.

I also should get a replacement just in case I get it out, the well is deep enough for those suggest bolt grip extractor sockets. Could be worth a try. Nothing to loose.